How to learn to sail fast so you can get cruising faster?
Okay. You want to cruise the world.
Sailing is easy. A few basic concepts and off you go… around the harbour. For the new sailor, sailing upwind (should you end the day downwind) and docking back at land are the first-time big challenges.
Teach yourself?
Sailing safely, in all weathers, long distance, offshore – takes years of study. The more you know, the safer you are. Boats are kinda like planes in complexity. Would you buy a jet and take off without any training (or just a few trips round the airstrip) and figure you’ll teach yourself ‘by trial and error’? Exactly.
Learn to Sail from Friends?
Hmm. Remember how much fun it was learning to drive a car with your dad? Right. Moving right along…
Depends on the friends of course, but learning to sail with friends somehow has a habit of changing into the atmosphere of a car lesson with dear old dad. If your friends are sailing instructors, could be different I guess.
Friends are great overall for introducing sailing as a sport in general. One daysail will addict most people to sailing for life.
So where to learn to sail?
The most important thing sail training teaches is… how much you don’t know. Once you know this, everything else falls into place.
Then you can start planning your timeline, sail training courses, when to sell the house, buy the yacht, move job onto boat, quit the job, loan out the dog (not the cat), set up remote finances, pack the boat, etc.
Community Sailing Clubs
Are there any community or co-op type boat clubs in your area? It’s worth a quick internet search.
If you’re near any size city with a waterfront, there is usually a community boat club. The club fees aren’t too much, everyone becomes part owner in the club’s boats with membership and there are usually adult sailing lessons available.
These tend to be small, friendly, social clubs with lots of BBQs and informal get togethers. The boats tend to be small responsive dinghies (the best for learning the sailing basics in the Can Opener’s opinion).
It’s a good way to find out if you really like sailing and if the reality is as good as the dream you envision.
Yacht Clubs
If you’re near any size city with a waterfront, there are usually also a few yacht clubs. Club fees tend to be higher, some (but not all) of the social get-togethers can be more formal and there tends to be a larger club membership and more keelboats.
These are bring-your-own-boat kinds of places though they also accept non-boated members. This is what the Can Opener and I have joined. And all those boat-owners need crew to help sail their yachts – that’s us!
Commercial Training Centres
And finally, any waterfront city should have at least a training centre or two. These are for-profit centres with certified (and insured) instructors who follow a curriculum defined by the national sailing association of the country they are in.
Making it through all the levels should ensure you cover all bits of amassed sailing wisdom (see also Cruising Courses – Quick Cost Survey for 3 Countries).
Conclusion
EVERYTHING you learn about sailing before you start crossing big bodies of water, will keep you and your family safer. Read as much as you can. Volunteer to crew on other’s yachts – this is an important step to learn more about seamanship and what kind of boat you prefer to buy.
The Can Opener says if he were starting again from zero, he’d first take lessons at a community club with dinghies. After mastering the basics, he’d join a yacht club to pick up experience crewing for other club members on a variety of yachts.
Good to do as much on-the-water yacht design research as possible before you commit yourself to one design with your purchase.
How did you learn to sail? Or… What’s your learn to sail plan?
Was it a good experience? Would you choose the same way if you had to do it over again?
–Captain Cat
(transcribed by the Can Opener)
How to Cruise
Previously: How Sailing Works
The Cruising Kitty 